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Now that Spring is upon us, it’s time to bring some life and color into your home! Terrariums are a fantastic way to freshen up any space. And better yet, they are SO easy. What's great about building a terrarium is that you can really make it your own and add elements that you love. For this one, I’ve added some stones that my kids brought back from the beach when they were small children. I never quite knew what to do with them, but adding a few to my terrariums is a fun way to be reminded of them. Here is a step by step guide to creating your very own springtime terrarium.

What you’ll need:

Glass Container, with or without lid

Charcoal

Soil (specfic for the plants you are using)

Decorative rocks or pebbles for layering

Plants of your choice

Decorative moss and/or objects

Directions:

The base: You definitely want to begin by laying down some charcoal in the bottom of your container. This will absorb the smells that can come with moisture. Place the charcoal in a mound in the center of the container.

Potting Soil: Next we are going to mound some soil on top of the charcoal being careful to leave the outer edges by the glass container untouched. Lay the soil in a way that creates a mound in the center so we can create some rock layers around the soil. We are using potting soil because we are using basic house plants, so potting soil is great, but if you are planting succulents or cacti, you will want to use soil that is appropriate for those species.

Rock Layer: Place the rocks on the sides, around the soil mound. You can purchase these potting rocks at any local nursery; mine are from Windmill Gardens in the Southend. Lay the rocks around the mound. We wanted to kind of mix it up with our terrarium, so we laid a layer of white rock in between each layer. As you layer rocks continue building soil in the middle and rocks on the other edges.

Potting Soil: After the rocks are laid down, cover the entire top with a three or four inches of potting soil.

Add the plants: The key to an interesting terrarium is choosing beautiful, contrasting foliage. We chose to use a taller green plant, one small green plant, and a fun pop of purple flowers. Gently place the plants in the top layer of soil.

Finishing Touches: Put the final touches on by placing moss over the top layer of soil, and around the plants. Adding other accents like pinecones or some beautiful stone creates a fun and interesting look as well!

And just like that, you've got a beautiful terrarium! We love placing these in the center of a coffee or side table. They also work as a great accent on a bathroom counter that has natural lighting. Caring for them is pretty easy. Watering needs to be done lightly and less often than other house plants since they have their own ecosystem in place.

We are sure you’ll love your new terrarium as it brings a new life to your home. Enjoy!

Is there anything better than wine and cheese? We don’t think so! We love putting together charcuterie and pairing it with our favorite wines. But when it comes to entertaining, this can quickly add up.

Entertaining doesn’t have to break the bank. There are some excellent budget wines and quality cheese that pair wonderfully and taste delicious. We have put together a few of our favorites so that the next time you entertain, all you have to do is print out the list and go to your local grocery store.

Most grocery stores also carry pre-packaged nuts and dried fruits. You can typically find these “pairing packs” in the specialty cheese kiosks at stores like QFC, Safeway, and Hagen. The one we picked up cost under $7.99 and included dried apricots, almonds, cashews, and cranberries. Other additions to your charcuterie board can include salami, olives, and fig jam. These also are easily found at the cheese kiosks. Don’t forget the crackers!

Now, on to the fun part!

These three wines and cheeses are all UNDER $20 and received high ratings or QPR (quality/price ratio)

PAIRING #1

You can’t go wrong with these two! Flavor and intensity are amazing. The cab has flavors of plum, black cherry, anise & clove. This Dutch classic aged goat gouda is dense and creamy with a long sweet caramelized finish.

Francis Coppola

Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 Vintage — $16.99

Cypress Grove Midnight Moon

Goat Gouda —$7.00-$8.00

PAIRING #2

Mark Ryan Vincent Board Track Racer + Esquirrou (ehs-keer-oo)

This wine was one of our favorites. It’s a Washington state red blend and ranks in the top 3% of wines from the Columbia Valley. It has some rich dark notes of blackberry and dark cherry with a super smooth finish. The cheese we paired this with is called, Esquirrou (ehs-Keer-oo). It’s a cheese from France and is made with sheep’s milk. It has a smooth, elastic texture with a nutty sweetness. This was the 2018 grand prize winner at the world cheese championships. You’ve got to try this one!

Mark Ryan Vincent Board Track Racer

Red Blend — $19.99

Esquirrou

$9.00

PAIRING #3

19 Crimes The Uprising + Montemore

With aromas of warm vanilla and caramel up front and blackberry jam, plum, and spice on the finish, this bottle is an absolute go-to for inexpensive red wine. The cheese we put with this one is Montamore Cheddar. It’s a sharp white cheddar blended with a moderate parmesan for a super delicious cheese blend!

Do you ever get to that point where you feel a lack of creativity in the kitchen? There’s nothing like sharing recipes to put an end ho-hum meal boredom! Last week we asked you to send in your favorite go-to recipes and WOW, what fun that was!

For everyone that submitted a recipe, we put your name in a drawing for $100 shopping spree to Whole Foods Market. We are thrilled to announce that Terri DiMartino won! Terri sold her Des Moines home with us a few years ago and we have enjoyed hearing about her and her husband, Pete, in their new ventures since they recently retired.

Terri submitted this super easy salad recipe that comes together in just a few minutes. She calls it her anniversary salad because they just celebrated their 9-year anniversary and they make this salad a few times a week. We can understand why! This salad adds a twist to your everyday salad and the variety of flavors make it anything but boring! We especially loved that all the ingredients are winter-friendly, so even when produce is hard to come by in the coldest months, this salad will be an easy one to make!

Terri says that the best part of this salad is that all the ingredients can be purchased at Costco, a fave shopping place for them. But really, all these ingredients are easy to find at any basic grocery store, so we love that too.

Citrus Cranberry Salad

Here is what you’ll need:

4 cups of Power or Super Greens (usually a mix of baby chard, kale, and spinach)

1 chicken breast, cooked and cubed

3 cutie oranges, peeled

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup pecans, lightly toasted and roughly chopped

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

1/2 cup of Walden Farms Lite Raspberry Vinaigrette dressing

Just throw all the ingredients into a bowl, toss, then serve!

The only work to this salad is cooking the chicken breast. If you like to meal prep on the weekend, we found that it was super easy to bake, grill, or sauté a few chicken breasts ahead of time. Chop them up, put them in a storage container and VOILA! This salad pretty much comes together in 10 min or less.

Here are a few other tips we noted:

If you don’t have time to toast the pecans, they taste great raw, too!

We didn’t find the Walden Farms Lite Raspberry Vinaigrette at the grocery store we went to, but we used Marie’s instead. Pretty much any raspberry vinaigrette should do.

Have fun with the chicken. Salt and pepper are just fine. But we threw some other herbs on it while cooking and it added an element of flavor. Grilling would also be extra tasty!

Another thing we loved about the salad is the color. With the orange, cranberry, and bright greens, this salad is like a gem show! It’s absolutely gorgeous and will add sparkle to your dining room table… that is if you can wait long enough to dig in!

Confession time! After we filmed the video for this salad, we all grabbed forks, stood around the bowl, and went to town eating it right out of the communal salad bowl. It was THAT GOOD!

We hope you are inspired to try this at home. Let us know if you do in the comments below!

What is it that draws us to before and after’s so much? There is something uplifting about looking at a project that seems overwhelming, maybe even impossible, and seeing it transformed with new energy and purpose.

That is what we love so much about helping our clients transform their homes. Of course, it’s the cherry on top when the process results in our listings selling for much more money and putting extra dollars in our clients pockets!

One of our most recent projects was this fun Latona listing. The home was being rented by a group of room mates and it needed a major overhaul to unveil the beauty that was hiding within. Before we worked our magic, the home was cluttered and dark. There was way too much furniture and it was placed in areas that inhibited flow.

When a home feels light and airy, it helps us to feel calm. Since we want our homes to feel like a sanctuary, this is an important emotion we want prospective buyers to experience when they walk through our listings. Here is how we transformed this home to show off its best features and create a calm, enjoyable experience for buyers.

Lighten Up!

Paint is one of the single most important things to address. It sets the mood for the entire space. If the paint is too dark or if the color is not suitable, it can convey the wrong message and make a room feel much smaller than it actually is. Fortunately, for the amount of impact it makes, it is also one of the least expensive things you can do.

In this listing, we lightened all the walls to an off white color. Because the home was built in 1960, the ceilings are lower and although the rooms are fairly large, they are somewhat disconnected. This near white color on both the ceilings and walls gave the illusion of taller space and also enhanced the size of the room. Keeping the color consistent throughout the entire home gave it a better overall flow.

Living Room

This living room had way too much furniture. The massive fireplace is oddly shape and it juts out into the room, taking up precious floor space. In most cases, we love fireplaces! But the size and style of this one just didn’t work for the home. As much as we would have loved to remodel it, that wouldn’t have been cost effective. The name of the game with our transformations is to spend the least amount of money for the most payoff. Since the design of this fireplace gives the room a narrow footprint, it was important to keep the furniture minimal and also use pieces that were more petite in size. This opened up the room to feel larger. We used bold pieces that took the spotlight and brought attention away from the elephant in the room—the huge, oddly shaped fireplace.

Den

We have no idea what purpose a rug played in being hung over the French doors to this room, but it was hiding one of the best features of the home. Double glass French doors opened up to a generous space beyond. Because this room sits right off the entry and living area, opening up the doors made the entire main floor feel much bigger and brighter. Now when you walk in the home, you get a much more energizing feeling and it also made our smallish living room feel much bigger! Adding a desk and modern console showed buyers that this room worked great as an extension to the living room or played double duty as a library or office retreat.

Kitchen

The kitchen had been remodeled but it was quite long ago. The Corian countertop isn’t really in style, but the neutral color worked. It would’ve cost far too much to update the counters and we felt that because they were still neutral, just a few small changes could modernize this space. The appliances were old and tired so the seller brought in new stainless steel pieces including a higher end stove. By updating the appliances, fixing a crack in the counter, and bringing in a few minimal pieces, this kitchen feels stylish and shows off an expansive amount of space by removing unnecessary clutter.

Flooring

Flooring takes a close second to painting when it comes to huge impact for the least amount of cost. If the flooring is in poor condition or the carpet is dirty and dingy, it doesn’t really matter how much staging and work we put into the home. Bad flooring will offset beautiful design. It can make buyers feel that the home was not lovingly cared for and that there is much more work to do than there actually is. These types of impressions can make a buyer look elsewhere for a home or offer a much lower price than it would have cost to replace or repair flooring.

This home has hardwood flooring throughout the main level. Even though they were in need of repair, that is the beauty of having hardwood floors. Restoring them back to their natural beauty is not too expensive and adds more value to the home.

The Basement

This basement was a hodgepodge of rooms lacking a clear purpose. Half the basement had cement floors, no trim work, and no lighting, so it technically was unfinished. Adding carpet and trim, then hiring an electrician to run electrical and add lightning increased the value to the home significantly because it added finished square footage for very minimal cost. Let us break this down a bit. The unfinished area was about 600 square feet. Our sale price netted the seller $394 per square foot. 600 square feet multiplied by $394/square foot equals $236,400! Yes, we think the minimal cost of carpet, trim and some electrical made this well worth it for our seller! This was worth a team high-five!

We’ll admit, we had a lot of fun with this project and we were thrilled the seller was open to making these changes. The end result was a home that we were able to list for a much higher price than if the seller did nothing. We were even more thrilled when it resulted in a sales price $45,500 over the asking price in just 33 hours!

What do you feel made the most impact in this transformation? We welcome your comments below. And don’t forget, if you are thinking of selling a home, we’d love to offer a complimentary consultation to help you determine small changes that can help you get the most money when you sell.

There is a lot to love about Puyallup. Located southeast of Tacoma, this gorgeous town has a balanced combination of urban living and small town charm. Aside from the epic Washington State Fair, there are great restaurants, coffee shops, parks, and more!

We met up with Shaylee, from Clever Media, to check some fun spots around Puyallup!

Anthem Coffee

Lucky for us, Shaylee is an expert on local coffee shops, and introduced us to Anthem Coffee and Tea! This coffee shop is awesome! We ordered a “white lave,” a white mocha made with lavender espresso - delicious! Anthem coffee shop is also one of the only coffee shops in Puyallup that carries oat milk, which is a creamy, neutral-tasting milk that you won’t want to miss out on. And don’t forget to check out Shaylee’s coffee instagram, @thecoffeefreak!

Looking for a bite to eat after your coffee? Right across the street from Anthem is an authentic wood grill pizza stand! They’re actually in the process of renovating the area where the pizza stand is to be a fun community space for food trucks, pop-ups, and stands! It’s going to be a really fun hang out spot—we can’t wait!

Pioneer Park

Pioneer Park is a gem. With a massive, manicured green lawn, paved pathways, and a large play structure, the park is a great spot to spend time outdoors with your friends or family! The Puyallup Library is also located next door to the park, and hosts great community events. And if you like music, there is a an outdoor pavilion that holds local concerts!

Looking for a fun and exciting Saturday activity? The Puyallup farmers market in Pioneer Park is a great way to check out local vendors, food trucks, and more! The market takes over this huge area, and is a great place for the community to come together.

Local Food Spots

Local Food Spots

There are many incredible places to eat in Puyallup! Here are just a few of our favorites that you’ll have to visit!

The Taco Bus: This local secret is a an experience you don’t want to miss — It’s literally a bus! They serve a delicious taco menu (even a beef tongue taco)! Who doesn’t love a good local whole in the wall?

Trackside Pizza: This is an award winning pizza shop that serves delicious wood fired pizza. It is a fun family-friendly atmosphere and has some of the best pizza in town!

Crockett’s Public House:This amazing restaurant was featured on the Food Network! You absolutely have to try their famous meatballs!

Head over to Puyallup and stop by these great spots! We promise you won’t be disappointed!

Furnishing an open floor plan can be tricky, but it is a great opportunity for creativity and adding your own style! This house has a beautiful open floor plan with modern details, and it was a fantastic opportunity to add some warm touches, and unity throughout the space.

Point Ruston in Tacoma is a beautiful, waterfront resort-inspired village with gorgeous views of Puget Sound, a variety of shopping and dining, and fun family-friendly activities! There is a paved walking trail that spans 2 miles that connects downtown Tacoma to Point Defiance and includes gorgeous coastal views.

Whether you’re a coffee fan or not, Starbucks holds a special place in Seattleites hearts. We love this fun and unique piece of our cities history. While some may just view Starbucks as a generic chain of coffee shops, the Starbucks Roastery and Reserve store shows us that Starbucks is so much more than that!

Today’s the day! We’ve been anticipating this day for many months. We’ve put in long hours, had tons of meetings, and did a lot of soul-searching. We’ve had a lot of fun leading up to this day and we can’t believe its FINALLY here!

As much as we love what we do, we realized last year that change was needed. We are passionate about homes. We love helping buyers purchase and sellers sell. We especially love getting GREAT deals or selling our listings for WAY more than the competition. But we have long felt that there is so much more to real estate.

A home is not just an investment. Our homes provide security, control, belonging, identity and privacy. Most of all, it’s a place that provides with a centering; a place we start and end each day. It’s a place that we find comfort with those we love most and feel secure as we grow. It’s the place we relax, refresh, and learn to become the individuals that we blossom in to.

As Real Estate Agents, we wear a lot of hats through this process: coach, counselor, advocate, confidant and friend, just to name a few. We get to laugh with people and sometimes we cry with them. We learn about who they are, what they love most and what their passions are. We have the privilege of helping them find that special place to call home, or the honor to sell this beautiful home where so many special memories have been made. That is what WE love.

Home is more than the houses we live in, it also about where you live. It’s about enjoying the pleasures that living here in the Pacific Northwest affords us. We LOVE it here. We love the lakes and rivers, and the mountains and fields. We love the laid back tree-hugging vibe and we love the sophisticated, elegant side. WE love the food, the culture, and the inspiration that the Pacific Northwest gives us every day.

For this reason, we have decided that we will no longer call our company JUST a real estate company. Real estate is home and location. Real estate is lifestyle. Real estate is design. Our new company will focus on that. We are excited to announce that Alise Roberts and Company is now called Maple + Main. Maple + Main is made up of 3 equal parts: Real Estate, Lifestyle, and Design.

Of course, the center of what we do is all about helping others buy and sell homes. This is our passion. But, we want to offer our clients more. We want to showcase all the amazing things we love about living in the PNW. We will be creating video about some of our favorite things to to do, the best places to eat and the hidden gems in areas you may not have discovered yet. We will be designing itineraries for everything from family day trips to date nights. We will be highlighting the latest local events and reviewing our experiences with them. We will show you why this area is so special, and we hope that it sparks inspiration for you to try, visit, and enjoy these things with the people in your life, too!

Design is also intertwined with real estate. Instinctively, we reach out for attractive things: beauty literally moves us. That is why every home should be designed to feel comfortable, look beautiful and reflect who we are. It doesn’t matter if it’s a studio apartment in the city, a farmhouse in the country, or anything in between. If we make our homes feel beautiful and special, it moves us to be happier and healthier (a scientific fact!). Our Stylist will be showcasing special ways to make your house homier, more you, and more fun. She will show you everything from the latest design trends, tips for organizing small spaces, to how to lighten up dark rooms. If it has to do with design, detail or decorating, she’ll be showing you all about it in our weekly videos.

We know how busy life can be, so we will focus on short clips that tell you all the details quickly. We will link information on the various subjects and places we so you know exactly where to find out more about it. Of course, this also means that we would LOVE to hear from you. Where are your favorite places, what small businesses in the area do you feel deserve recognition, and what do you feel makes the PNW so special? We want to hear about it!

We are so excited to build a community that is centered on everything PNW! We have a lots of big plans for forums and events that you can link up with people that are passionate about the same things you are. Do you love wine? We’ll tell you where to go and what to buy! Do you love to hike? We have you covered! Do you like to find new places with unusual cuisine? We’ll review them! Of course, in the meantime, we plan to sell lots of homes and tell you all about the real estate market, provide tips on what to do to make the most when you sell, and provide you with the latest expertise and marketing strategies. If you are buying a home, you won’t find a team that knows the area, the market, and negotiating strategies better than us. We love what we do, and we are thrilled to make real estate MORE than real estate.

We LOVED staging this gorgeous Kirkland home! With stunning features like a gorgeous kitchen and a jaw dropping master suite, it wasn't hard to make this house really stand out. We did face challenges with the massive room sizes, but we really love how this turned out! Staging is such a vital piece of selling a home. A large vacant area can be overwhelming, and using styling and staging techniques gives prospective buyers an idea of how they might live in the home. We love that these before and after photos show just how dramatically staging changes a room! Check out these great photos, and some fun design tips and methods we used when we staged the different spaces of this property!

LIVING

This large living space may seem intimidating when you see it as an empty room. Staging such a big area isn’t easy! We wanted to make this area feel warm, even with the size; these warm, calming colors really play off of that warmth from the artwork to the couches.

Design Tip: You may not notice this little trick when you first walk in, but all of the artwork in this room ties together with themes and colors, to create harmony within the spaces. Because this space was so large, we used two facing couches on either side of the mantle, and added two armchairs facing the fireplace to really draw your eye to the center of the room.

KITCHEN

This kitchen is absolutely gorgeous. With a kitchen so beautiful, we wanted to stay really simple to let the kitchen speak for itself! Simple greenery and a few objects were enough to create a fresh and minimal feel.

Design Tip: Play off of the original features when styling the space. Because the lights had a great mix of industrial glam, we styled the bar area with these gorgeous steel-based stools with wooden seats that also tie into the dining table!

DINING

This formal dining room is the perfect mix of cozy neutral, and modern sophistication. Using light neutral colors that feel light and airy really make this room feel calm and peaceful.

Design Tip: Use the main focal point of the room — in this case, the dining table — as the inspiration for the rest of the room design. This table is white marble, but actually has a lot of warm tones. Because of the warmth, we chose gold toned frames, and very simple art. We also chose clean white roses as the centerpiece to bring out the cooler tones of the table. The light chairs and rug really make this room a neutral beauty!

DOWNSTAIRS

This downstairs area is perfect for entertaining. The built in bar, large living space, and sliding doors to the beautiful yard make this room any hosts dream!

Design Tip: This massive sectional was luckily left by the seller, and really helps give the room a proportional feel. Due to the dark brown shade of the couch, we styled it with very light, neutral pillows to break up the heaviness. We also tucked the cords up behind the TV to create a cleaner look, and used this great console table to balance out the wall space so that the TV doesn’t just feel like it’s floating on the wall!

MASTER SUITE

Bedroom

This room is the epitome of cozy! We really wanted this room to be a really comfortable place to be. With light and neutral shades, warm textures, and simple design, this room is effortlessly serene.

Design Tip: If you’re mounting a TV in a master bedroom, style the space with a simple piece like this bench and cozy pillows! You really want balance out the space so it doesn’t feel like a floating TV, similar to the concept in the downstairs!

Bathroom

Isn’t this bathroom gorgeous?! We love all of the stunning tile details, gorgeous stand-alone bathtub, and amazing natural light. Some simple greenery accents and and resort-like white towels turned this bathroom into haven!

Design Tip: Don’t forget about the shower! To pull some added attention to this gorgeous shower, we added a plant and some objects. This small detail is an awesome way to keep the theme consistent and add a unexpected touch of fun!

BONUS ROOM

The original owners used this room as a guest room, but we really felt like it would be great bonus room for prospective buyers to imagine! With the couch area on one side, and a kids area on the other, this room really feels like a fun place for the whole family!

Design Tip: One of our favorite parts of this house is this little kids nook! When families are looking at homes, kids are immediately drawn to fun spaces like this!

Loving this space as much as we are? Click the button below to find out all of the details about this beautiful home!

One of our favorite things about this autumn/winter season is spending time with friends and family through the beautiful art of cooking. There is just something special about these shorter days! We enjoy warm summer Seattle evenings, but autumn and winter are really the seasons where we love to spend cozy nights cooking at home. Preparing hearty fall meals — even if cooking isn’t your specialty — is an amazing way to gather the ones you love together. Your home should be a place that fills you up, nourishes you, and brings you closer to the people you love. And you know what they say — “the kitchen is the heart of the home!” We hope you all take time this season to slow down and enjoy longer evenings over home-cooked meals with your family and friends.

One of our favorite things about this autumn/winter season is spending time with friends and family through the beautiful art of cooking. There is just something special about these shorter days! We enjoy warm summer Seattle evenings, but autumn and winter are really the seasons where we love to spend cozy nights cooking at home. Preparing hearty fall meals — even if cooking isn’t your specialty — is an amazing way to gather the ones you love together. Your home should be a place that fills you up, nourishes you, and brings you closer to the people you love. And you know what they say — “the kitchen is the heart of the home!” We hope you all take time this season to slow down and enjoy longer evenings over home-cooked meals with your family and friends.

Red Wine Cranberry Braised Short Ribs

This is my all-time favorite food blog of them moment. If you love tender, fall-off-the bone ribs with a harvest, autumn twist, this recipe is for you! We are all about these delicious hearty ingredients and fun pop of cranberry! If you haven't already fallen in love with Half Baked Harvest, head over to her amazing website and check out all of her delicious recipes!

INGREDIENTS

5 pounds bone in, beef short ribs

kosher salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

2 shallots, thinly sliced

4 carrots, chopped

2 cups dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon

2 cups low sodium beef broth

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey

4 sprigs fresh thyme

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

2 bay leaves

2 cups fresh cranberries

mashed potatoes, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

SLOW COOKER

Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large oven safe skillet, sear the ribs on both sides. Remove the ribs and transfer to the slow cooker.

To the slow cooker, add the onions, shallots, and carrots. Add the wine, broth, tomato paste, brown sugar, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper, gently stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. During the last 2 hours of cooking, add the cranberries.

Remove the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Serve the ribs over a bed of mashed potatoes. Drizzle with the pan sauce. Enjoy!

OVEN

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large oven safe skillet, sear the ribs on both sides. Remove the ribs to a plate. Add the onions, shallots, and carrots, cook 5-10 minutes or until the onions begin to caramelize. Add back the short ribs. Add the wine, broth, tomato paste, brown sugar, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Sprinkle over the cranberries. Season with salt and pepper, gently stir to combine. Cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 ½ to 3 hours or until the short ribs are tender and falling off the bone.

Butternut Squash and Spinach Tortellini

We are huge pasta fans! Sure a great red or cream sauce is great, but adding in delicious flavors like butternut squash really makes traditional pasta feel like a cozy fall meal. This easy recipe will have your family and friends swooning!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup butternut squash puree

1 cup half and half

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning

2 cups tortellini uncooked

8 oz spinach , uncooked, fresh

2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

Add 1 cup of butternut squash puree, 1 cup of half and half, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, a pinch of paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the large skillet, on medium heat. While heating, stir all the ingredients to combine. Add about 1/4 teaspoon of lemon pepper seasoning - don't add all of it at once, add a little and add more, to your taste. Add the spinach on top of the mixture, cover with the lid, remove from heat. Let the spinach wilt in the pan, covered, off heat.

While the spinach wilts, bring the medium pan of water to boil, add 2 cups of uncooked tortellini, and cook according to the package instructions (usually 7 - 10 minutes in boiling water). Once the tortellini is cooked, drain the water.

Add cooked and drained tortellini to the skillet with the butternut squash sauce and spinach and stir to combine. If the sauce is too thick, add more half and half to thin it. Also, taste and add more salt, nutmeg and lemon pepper, if desired.

Season chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, to taste.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs, skin-side down, and sear both sides until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes per side; drain excess fat and set aside in a plate.

Return chicken thighs to the skillet, skin side up, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until chicken and potatoes are cooked through. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with additional red pepper flakes and parmesan, enjoy!

Autumn Pumpkin Apple Stew

The name, Autumn Pumpkin Apple Stew says it all. We love this delicious, plant based dish! Adding apple to a stew may sound odd, but trust us, you’ll love these autumn flavors, and a cozy stew is the perfect fall weekday meal!

INGREDIENTS

Extra Virgin Olive Oil for sautéing

1 White Onion diced

4-5 Cloves Garlic finely minced

1 Cup Chopped Kale packed

1 15 oz Can Fire-Roasted Tomatoes diced

1 Cup Pumpkin Purée

4 Cups Vegetable Broth

2 Small Macintosh or Macoun Apples peeled and diced

1 Tsp Dried Parsley

1 Tsp Paprika

Lots of Fresh-Cracked Black Pepper

Pinch Cayenne

1/2 Tsp Dried Oregano

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large pot, bring a glug of olive oil to medium-low heat. Add in the diced onions and sauté until soft, a few minutes.

Then, add in the garlic and stir until lightly fragrant, about a minute or so. Be careful not to let the garlic brown!

Add in the chopped kale and stir it up well with the garlic and onion, for about another minute or so.

Then, add in the fire-roasted tomatoes, pumpkin purée, vegetable broth, diced apples, and all the spices. Whisk everything until it's all evenly mixed. Taste and adjust the spices if you'd like.

Reduce heat to low, and let the stew simmer for about 30 minutes.

When done, remove stew from heat and ladle into bowls. Top off with a crack of fresh black pepper, if you'd like.

Sweet Potato Pesto Gnocchi

Don’t let the sound of making home made gnocchi intimidate you! We love this easy, 20 minute pasta recipe! This dish is sure to impress your guests with is delicious fall flavors and beautiful presentation!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup mashed sweet potato

Pinch salt and pepper

Dash mixed herbs

1/3 cup gluten free flour

1 clove garlic

Olive oil for cooking

Handful fresh spinach

Sacla Free From Pesto

INSTRUCTIONS

To make the gnocchi, combine the sweet potato, seasonings and flour and mix until well combined and you’re left with a dough mixture.

Spread a little flour onto a cutting board and roll out the dough to form a long sausage shape. Cut into small thumb sized pieces.

To create the rolled effect, press each piece of gnocchi against a fork and roll towards you.

Fill a saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Add in the gnocchi and allow to cook until they start to float to the surface, then scoop them out with a slotted spoon and place onto a side plate.

Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and add in the gnocchi and crushed garlic. Sauté so that they start to lightly crisp and then stir through the spinach and a few spoonfuls of the pesto.

Once the spinach has wilted, serve onto plates and enjoy!

Autumn Harvest Salad with Pomegranates

With all of these amazing hearty meals, a lighter fall salad can be so refreshing! We love that this healthy dish still includes so many fun fall elements like delicata squash, farro, and pomegranate! This dish is great for busy weeknights when you’re looking for quick and healthy alternative to heavy fall dishes!

This hearty and healthy dish is a great alternative to meat heavy dishes! Chickpeas are a fantastic source of protein, and mixing chickpeas with maple tahini?! YUM! We are loving this unique dish full of flavors we are loving this season!

INGREDIENTS

1 small sweet potato, peeled and chopped

1 small delicata squash, seeded and chopped (you can leave the skin on)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon coriander

salt and pepper

1 - 15oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

3/4 cup fresh cranberries

1/2 cup crumbled feta

1/4 cup minced red onion

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs (I used sage and rosemary)

FOR THE DRESSING

1/4 cup tahini

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 small clove garlic, minced

salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR THE SALAD

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Toss sweet potato and squash with the olive oil, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper and spread out on a baking sheet.

Roast for about 15 minutes, tossing halfway through.

Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl.

When squash is finished roasting, add to the bowl and toss to combine.

FOR THE DRESSING

Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl until smooth.

Pour into bowl with the salad ingredients and toss until evenly coated.

Creamy Chicken Marsala

A good friend texted me this recipe and gushed about how amazing it was. It’s simple, fast, and delicious! She swapped out the chicken breasts for chicken thighs and also added more mushrooms. I have this on my dinner menu this week.

INGREDIENTS

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced*

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1½ cups sliced mushrooms

½ cup Marsala wine** see note

½ cup chicken broth

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon ground mustard

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Fresh Chopped Parsley for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large skillet over medium heat add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan. Add the chicken and lightly salt and pepper. Cook until lightly brown and cooked throughout. Remove chicken and set aside on plate.

Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil and sauté the mushrooms for 1-2 minutes. Add marsala wine and bring to a boil over medium high heat for 1-2 minutes. This allows the alcohol to burn out. Add the chicken broth, heavy whipping cream, ground mustard, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Place chicken back in the sauce and continue to simmer for about 1-2 minutes.

*I like to slice my chicken breasts in half or buy them thinly sliced so that they cook quickly and easily.** The alcohol in the marsala wine burns off during the cooking process. If you are worried about cooking with wine, they say this recipe makes a good substitute.1/4 cup of white grape juice1 tablespoon vanilla extract2 tablespoons of sherry vinegar

Loving this season of delicious produce as much as we are? Check out our blog post all about supporting local farmers and enjoying amazing fresh fruits and vegetables! Happy cooking, everyone!

We say it a lot, but it’s worth repeating. We are fortunate here in the Puget Sound to have so many waterfront communities available to us! Truly, there is nothing like this area. These waterfront areas will cost more, especially if you are right on the water, but there are still affordable options out there!

Browns Point is one of these beautiful waterfront communities. This small area has so much going for it from great small businesses to affordable properties with waterfront access! We love this area for so many reasons, but here are a few reasons why we think Browns Point is an a great place to live!

Great Location

Browns Point and Dash Point are two distinct communities that sit on a peninsula that juts out into Puget Sound and is right on the King and Pierce County border. These two are very unique communities; 3 sides of this area is surrounded by water, which gives it an island feel with absolutely stunning views! On the North and West side you look over the sound to Vashon Island, and to the South you look over Commencement Bay to Downtown Tacoma. What could be better than this serene view!

Beautiful Nature

This is undoubtedly a beautiful area just because of its location, but what’s really special about Browns Point is the amazing parks. These are two beautiful options that locals can experience this area for all that it is! We love that this peninsula has so much dense nature even though while also being so close to the city!

Dash Point State Park

This 461 acre, beautiful park is full of trails that lead down to the waterfront which has to over 3300 feet of sandy beach shoreline. You can live in an affordable home and literally be at the beach every day if that’s what you desire.

Lower Browns Point

Lower Browns Point is a tucked away community of homes. The residents love this area because its a quiet little community with very little traffic since all you have water all around you. Though it’s a smaller, relaxed community, there’s a town center with shopping and some eateries. If you’re looking to get a little of the city feel, both Federal Way and Tacoma are just minutes away, for all of your big city shopping and conveniences!

Great Local Businesses

The town center really is a great spot to enjoy some local businesses! With a brewery, a market, and great restaurants, the Browns Point town center is a fun little spot for the community to enjoy!

Opportunities for Boaters

There are number of marinas that offer moorage options, which makes owning a boat much more flexible. So regardless of whether you live on the water or not, you can still have beach access, boat moorage, and a waterfront vibe with plenty of lifestyle options!

Affordable Home Options

Of course, with all that water, there’s plenty of waterfront & water view properties. However, It’s still going to be a bit pricey—but way more affordable than what you’ll find in Seattle! And there’s also plenty of other homes that while they don’t have the view, you’re still located in this prime area that is just minutes to waterfront beaches and parks.

As you can see, we LOVE this area! Contact our team today to learn more about Browns Point and the great opportunities in this community!

Now that we have officially crossed over into post daylight savings Autumn, those rainy Seattle days are feeling grayer and darker. With the beautiful autumn leaves everywhere you look, breaking out your favorite fall sweaters, and enjoying warm harvest meals, it does seem to be the coziest time of the year! You know we love those clear crisp autumn days spent hiking and enjoying all of the nature Northwest has to offer! There are SO many incredible things to enjoy outdoors during the fall.

While we love the gorgeous hikes full of fall colors, and slow days spent at home this time of year, sometimes it can be hard to know how to spend your evenings and weekend in the fall when it’s grey and rainy! Truthfully, a lot of us Seattelites are known for braving the rain and still enjoying the nature, but it does get a little soggy and gloomy sometimes. Luckily for us, the greater Seattle area is full of fantastic indoor activities that will get you through these rainy days!

Here are some of our favorite things to do when it’s best to stay inside!

Explore a Museum

Is there anything better than wandering through a museum on a rainy day!? Seattle is full of art, culture, and beauty. From the stunning Chihuly Glass museum to the Seattle Aquarium, there really is an opportunity for everyone! We love that museums can be a great afternoon if you're on a date, or spending the day with your kids. It really is a great way to learn and connect with art! Below are a few of our favorite museums:

See a Show

Seattle has an incredible theater and music scene. With epic venues like the Paramount theater, and Benaroya Hall, there is a beautiful culture of performing art all throughout Seattle. We love getting to see these beautiful and fun shows especially during cozy and cold evenings! It’s a great way to spend some time with your friends and family and, of course, get out of the rain!

Here are some upcoming shows that you won’t want to miss this fall and winter season!

Visit Beautiful Tasting Rooms in Woodinville

One of our absolute favorite things is enjoying an evening with friends at some of the beautiful indoor tasting rooms in Woodinville! Sure, warm summer days are perfect for spending the day hitting 5 of your favorite smaller wineries, but the autumn and winter is perfect for cozying into one or two of the bigger wineries that have large indoor tasting rooms! We also love that Woodinville has incredible places to settle in for a long autumn dinner with friends!

We hope these amazing indoor activities give you a fall and winter season full of culture, community, and fun! Looking for other fun things to do this season? Head over to our local events page to check out all of the fun things to do in and around Seattle each week!

Shorter days and earlier evenings fill me with a sense of coziness. It’s the time of the year that spending more time in the kitchen and gathering around the table with friends and family is pure, simple joy. Life slows down, conversations linger, and warmth envelopes the soul.

When I married Kevin 22 year ago, I knew little to nothing about cooking. It wasn’t something I enjoyed and when you tasted a meal I prepared, you could tell. But I slowly began to fall in love with spending time in the kitchen. Eventually, the kitchen transformed from a space that represented work, cleaning, and chores to a sense of family, gathering, and love. With that transformation I also began to love the process of preparing a meal. To take some time in the evening to carefully prepare fresh produce and transform it into a tasty and nourishing meal, all while having gentle conversation with my family, gave me a sense of accomplishment and drew our family closer together.

While cooking may never be your thing, I’d highly recommend taking time to prepare at least one home-cooked meal a week and enjoying it around your table with the ones you love. Homes are our haven. They are places that should refresh and draw us closer together. The kitchen in my home has done that for me and it’s now one of my favorite places to be.

Now that I love cooking, I have also become aware of how important it is to use fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients. This not only makes the food we eat more tasty, but it also helps to support our local farmers and community. A easy and fun way to do this is to join a CSA (community supported agriculture). When you join one, you are essentially buying a farm share from a local farm or a group of farmers. This helps the farmers to have operating capital and in return, you get a delivery of the freshest produce (and sometimes meat, dairy, and more) delivered to your doorstep.

So, how does a CSA work?

In this area, there are a variety of CSA’s that can cater to your needs. Typically, you pay in advance of the growing season so farmers have operating capital. During the growing season, members receive a box of produce from the CSA on a regular schedule (usually once per week). Some CSA shares are delivered directly to your home, and others must be picked up from a designated location during a set time frame. Some CSAs only offer produce, while others you may also have the option of purchasing a share that includes eggs, meat, dairy, baked goods, fresh flowers, or other farm products. Most CSA’s have pre-selected items that go in the box—produce that is in season and just picked—while others allow you to pick and choose what’s in your box.

I have been a member of Full Circle Farms CSA for a number of years. You can pay weekly for your upcoming share and you can get meat, dairy, baked goods, and a number of other products in your weekly delivery. You can also change the produce selection each week if you aren’t fond of the current selection. Since it’s so flexible, this works really well for me but it’s equally fun to support the smaller farms and receive surprise ingredients that add to your cooking repertoire!

No two farms do CSA the same way so it’s great to shop around for one that you feel good about supporting and works for your family. To help find the right program for you, we have put a list together of some of the local CSA’s to select from. I hope you find this helpful and that it sparks your interest to consider joining a CSA, too! Remember, you’ll be supporting our local community and the hard-working farmers that are vested in it. Isn’t that worth consideration?

If you read our Marymoor Park post, then you know we LOVE Redmond! This town is beautiful, has incredible restaurants and shops, and has a fantastic community. Our clients that live here love this fun and energetic area. We’ve created a list of 5 reasons that we love Redmond!

The downtown district

Downtown Redmond is a great example of creating the perfect mix of residential and commercial while incorporating convenient recreation. The city of Redmond has clearly put a lot of love into development here! The buildings have an old-town feel with nostalgic brick design that makes you feel like you’re back in time. And we love Redmond Town Centre which has this fun urban-village vibe. Our clients that live in the downtown district say they also love that they can walk to EVERYTHING: from groceries, restaurants and bars, to doctors, dentists and the pharmacy. You can even walk to Marymoor Park! Plus with the transit center, you can easily get to Seattle or Bellevue.

Here are a few of our favorite things to do when we spend the day in Redmond!

Hoffman’s: A cafe with a large selection of breakfast pastries, cookies and small desserts. Hoffman’s serves savory sandwiches, homemade soups, salads and even quiche. The atmosphere has that friendly relaxed vibe that will set you off to a fun start.

Super Jock N Jill: An awesome local business where not just shop for great gear, but also find out everything you want to know about upcoming events, new running or walking courses, or even the best personal trainer or physical therapist recommendations.

iPic Movie Theater: Located in the Redmond Town Center, this theater is a great movie theater that serves beer and wine, and even has reclining seats where you can enjoy a delicious meal delivered right to your seat for Premium Level guests!

Marymoor Park: The largest park in king county, with 640 acres. You can even bring your dog to the 40 acre off leash dog park or head down one of the trails that connects to Burke Gilman going into Seattle or the East Lake Sammamish Trail that leads into Issaquah.

It’s the Bicycle Capital of the Northwest!

Any bike lovers out there? Redmond is so fond of its bicycles! You’ll find plenty of bicycle paths and even competitive cycling events. Redmond has an extensive network of on-street bike lanes and off-street trails for easy access to downtown, neighborhoods, businesses, parks, and even to other cities. It is one of a small number of cities designated as a Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists! The city of Redmond even started adding green bicycle lanes to help support bicycling as a travel choice. We love this because we feel the PNW is all about the outdoors and we love to see cities support an active lifestyle!

Click the button below and learn more about the fun cyclist community in Redmond!

Culture

If you’re looking for culture, you’ll find plenty of it here. There’s wine tasting, poetry readings, art galleries, music & theater. In fact, Redmond is home to the Redmond Performing Arts Center, the Eastside Symphony, and the SecondStory Repertory Theater, which features musicals and other productions year-round. We love that culture is such an important value to the city of Redmond! And the best part about a city that loves culture? There is never a shortage of great local events to attend!

Redmond Attracts the Young and the Young at Heart

Redmond is a fun and vibrant place to live or explore! Although the median age here is 34, 24% of residents are over age 50. We love that Niche.com rated Redmond as the #1 Best Suburb to live in Washington. So whether you’re 28 or 78 people of all ages love Redmond. The high walk score with easy access to everything you need makes this a desirable place to live no matter what your age is!

Looking to move to Redmond and curious about the housing situation? Click the link below to check out one of our beautiful, recently sold Redmond properties!

Microsoft Headquarters

As NW natives, it seems like the Seattle area always got the cold shoulder when it came to recognition. That started to change when Microsoft moved in and showed everyone that Seattle is a smart, outdoorsy, tech-loving, laid back, and fun place to live. Growing up in the area, very little was known about the Eastside. But when Microsoft moved in, it put the Eastside on the map and catapulted job growth, income potential, and desirability of this area.

As you can see, Redmond is a pretty happening place! Our clients love it, and we hope you do too. Thinking about moving to Redmond? Our team would love to connect with you and help you find your dream home!

Kirkland, WA is one of those places that reminds you that we live in a remarkable area here in the PNW. This town is overflowing with amazing restaurants, beautiful waterfront homes, beaches, and friendly locals. With the busyness of Seattle and Bellevue, this relaxed neighborhood is the perfect place to go for an afternoon at the beach, or a fun evening out at one of the stunning waterfront restaurants. It’s no secret that Kirkland is a beautiful little gem in the greater Seattle area! Why is this place so popular? We’ve interviewed our clients that live here and here are their top 5 reasons why they feel Kirkland is one of the best places to live.

Convenience

We love that in Kirkland, you’re centrally located to everything. From corporate headquarters, to a thriving community, to some of the best restaurants in the Seattle, Kirkland is an amazing place to plant some roots. You’ve got the Google campus, shops & eateries, beautiful parks, waterfront, PLUS if you’re craving the big city vibe, you’re right next door to Bellevue. Kirkland is super walkable which attracts everyone from young families to retirees.

Culture

Kirkland has a small town, trendy vibe. It’s laid back but there’s a lot going on. The downtown district runs right along the waterfront where you can find all sorts of little shops and eateries. Plus there’s seasonal events that take place year-round including Summerfest, Kirkland Uncorked, Octoberfest, and events like Crossing Kirkland that are designed to bring the 12 neighborhoods of Kirkland together for an annual city-wide block party. You’re never going to be short of fun activities that the whole family can enjoy!

Here are some fun upcoming events where you can really get a taste of the amazing culture in Kirkland!

Schools

Another amazing aspect of this town is the fantastic school district. Moving to a new town is a huge deal, and if you’ve got a family, you know that school districts are one of the most important things to look at in a neighborhood. We truly want you to feel great about your new home in every way, including schools! Kirkland is part of the Lake Washington School District. Our clients that have children enrolled here tell us they give the schools a big thumbs up!

The Beach

One of the best parts about Kirkland is the incredible beaches! Kirkland sits on prime Lake Washington waterfront which means there’s plenty of real estate that offers either lake front or lake views. And we love the beachfront parks including Marina Park located right in the heart of downtown Kirkland, Waverly Beach Park, Houghton Beach Park, and Juanita Beach Park (that’s a lot of Beach Parks). So even if you don’t live on the water, you are literally minutes to the waterfront where you can enjoy it from any of these incredible beach parks!

Community

You’ll find residents are interested in the welfare of the community and active in supporting the local business, schools, and the quality of living in Kirkland. Our clients tell us that the Fire & Police Services are amazing, and we love that the city even tries to get feedback from the residents to see how they are doing and where they can improve! Of course, small businesses are the heart of a community, and you’ll find a ton of them here. If you walk through the downtown district, you’ll actually find most of the businesses are small family owned operations. One of our favorite small business is Lizzy Kate Teas! We love this friendly little tea shop where you can come enjoy a tea latte, kombucha on tap, or sit down to learn all about tea at one of their many tea events. Personally, don’t tell anyone, I don’t drink coffee, so I totally dig this place. But even if you do drink coffee, you’ll be open to a whole new world of delicious tea. Another small business we adore is Lady Yum, where you’re enchanted with tasty macarons, champagne, wines and local artisan products. Businesses like this are rooted in the community. When you walk in they’ll often know you by first name and it feels like you’re a part of the family.

A popular and casual pub where you can enjoy a beer, a mini golf course, and more!

We are so glad that our clients love Kirkland as much as we do! This beautiful town has so much to offer. Our team would love to help you learn more about Kirkland and how this town might be the right place for you to call home! Contact us today to learn more.

The Pacific Northwest is filled with so much nature. We’re so lucky to have so many beautiful beaches, the Cascade mountains, Mt. Rainier, the Puget Sound area, and so much more! But one of the best parts about living the greater Seattle area is that there are so many local parks that will give you a taste of the beautiful Northwest nature right here! One of our favorite parks in the greater Seattle area is Marymoor Park in Redmond. Marymoor Park is actually King county’s oldest, largest and most popular park with more than 3 million visitors per year! From biking trails, to rock walls, to fabulous summer events, Marymoor truly is a hub for the people of Redmond, and the greater Seattle area. And at 640 acres, it’s hard for this place to feel crowded, which is another thing we just love about Marymoor! This gorgeous park is so popular for many reasons! Below are eight amazing things that you can do while enjoying a clear autumn day, or a warm summer night at Marymoor Park!

Sports Fields

Marymoor is a popular hang out place for kids, teens, and families due to the amazing sports fields! There are fields for soccer, baseball, cricket, rugby, and even tennis courts! It’s also the home to the only velodrome in the state which is a 400-meter bicycle racing track that hosts programs for riders of all levels, including youth classes. Marymoor Park has popular Friday Night Racing series, and even national racing championships here!

Biking, Walking, and Jogging Trails

If you love cycling, walking, or running, Marymoor also connects to East Lake Sammamish Trail which goes right into Issaquah or Sammamish River Trail that connects up to Burke-Gilman and takes you right into Seattle. You can park at Marymoor then spend the day on the trails! Marymoor Park hosts many 5k’s, 10k’s, and even half marathons year round! A few of us at Alise Roberts and Company have run a half/full marathons here and loved it! Scroll down to the local events to find out what fun race is coming up!

Clise Mansion and Willowmoor Farm

Clise Mansion is the roots of Marymoor Park. The 28-room mansion is situated on "Willowmoor Farm" that was owned and developed by Seattle banker James Clise in the early 1900s. The property also served as his family's country estate where guests would enjoy the storybook setting and it served as a show farm for his Morgan horses and Scottish Ayrshire (air-sheer) cattle. A really awesome fact that not many people know is that the grounds at Willowmoore Farm, where the Clise Mansion sits, were designed by the Olmsted Brothers which were the same designers of Central Park in New York City!

Rock Climbing Wall

This 35-foot rock climbing wall is a great place for beginners, or even mildly experienced climbers! We love how many routes and strategies you can enjoy on this beautiful outdoor climbing wall! This brick and cement is a fascinating and beautiful sculpture that is an iconic piece of Marymoor Park! This is a great place to transition from indoor climbing walls to outdoor climbing experiences!

Off Leash Dog Park

We love that Marymoor Park is so pet friendly. This 40 acre off leash dog park is a fantastic place to get out of the city and urban living, and some time enjoying nature with your pets! This park features wide open spaces, gorgeous trails, and even a lake waterfront area for you and your dog to enjoy multiple areas and activities! We really love that Redmond offers such a great opportunity for dog lovers.

Radio Control Aircraft Flying Field

One of most unique parts of Marymoor Park is the Radio Control Aircraft Flying Field. This is an incredible experience where flyers can enjoy their hobby, and spectators can watch radio control model planes! We love that Marymoor offers such a great opportunity! The Marymoor Radio Control Club is a club of around 300 members that holds public meetings, flight training, and events! This is a really fun way to learn about a really awesome hobby!

Summer Movies at Marymoor

From late June to August, Marymoor hosts fun, family friendly movie nights. This is such a fun way for the community to come together and enjoy a shared experience! These movies are only $5, and begin at dusk. The movies are typically fun family movies like The Princess Bride and The Greatest Showman. And the best part is that they are dog friendly AND there’s food trucks so you don’t even need to pack any snacks!

Outdoor Concerts at Willowmoor Farm

Marymoor Park is also home to the summer concert series which is located right in the Willowmoor Farm’s historical district and they always have a fantastic artist lineup featuring artists like Norah Jones and Vance Joy. It is such a fun experience to have such incredible artists come and perform in such a beautiful and intimate venue!

Doesn’t all of that sound fun?! Well it’s about to get even better! Marymoor is the host of a multitude of great local events. Here are a few of our favorite events that are coming up in Marymoor or the surrounding area! Grab some friends and family and head over to Redmond and enjoy these fun activities!

And don’t forget to check out the Redmond Saturday Market to pick up some great local produce and more before it’s over for the year, (Redmond Saturday Market is a weekly event which is annual, May-October at 9:00 am)! For other events in the greater Seattle area, click the button below!

As you can see there are SO many amazing activities for any ages at Marymoor Park! We love that this incredible place facilitates community, gets Seattelites outdoors, and encourages people (and animals!) to be active and healthy! If you’re not from Seattle, but you’re visiting, or thinking about moving here, we would love to help you find out more about Redmond, and the greater Seattle area! Contact our team today to learn more!

Is anybody else ecstatic that fall is finally here?! There is something so purely magical about the Northwest in autumn — especially in the first few weeks before the rain comes! Sipping pumpkin spice lattes, baking apple pies, corn mazes and pumpkin patches with your loved ones, and the gorgeous clear, crisp afternoons! We love all of those wonderful things about fall, but a huge reason we love fall so much is the beautiful array of autumn colors that sweep through the pacific northwest in these gorgeous months!

Seattelites are so lucky to live in an area where there are so many fantastic pockets of nature! If you live in the city you don’t have to go far to find some of these GORGEOUS fall colors! Whether it’s the crunchy leaves, crisp apples, or plump pumpkins you’re looking for, we’re here to help you in your search for amazing Seattle autumn colors! Below are our favorite spots to enjoy Autumn!

Greenlake Park

If you’re looking for an easy, relaxing walking path where you can get in a bike ride, jog, or walk while also enjoying breathtaking autumn views and colors, this is the spot for you! If you’re from Seattle, than you know Greenlake is beautiful all year round, but this park during the autumn season is truly stunning! And it's not all about the trail around Greenlake! Grab some blankets, pack some food, and have a fun picnic!

Bob’s Corn Maze and Pumpkin Farm

Looking for Seattles best pumpkin patch?! Well look no further! Bob’s Corn Maze and Pumpkin Farm is a full family experience with its massive corn maze, 30-acre pumpkin patch, country store, and endless fall activities for kids! Our favorite part of this pumpkin patch is the reservable fire-pits that are located INSIDE the corn maze! This Snohomish farm is such a fun place to enjoy fall activities with friends and family!

Carpinito Brothers, Inc.

Since October is prime apple picking season, and Washington is known for it’s AMAZING apples, what better activity to get outside and enjoy autumn, than to explore an apple orchard! One of our favorite places to pick apples is Gordon Skagit Farms in Mt. Vernon, WA. This amazing Jonagold apple farm also includes a pumpkin patch, mazes, a cider shack, and more! Make sure you make time to wander through the orchards and find some great apples to eat and cook!

Washington Park Arboretum

This is a Seattle must! Located on Lake Washington, this 230 acre park is littered with stunning trees full of vibrant colors. Between the Seattle Japanese Garden, and the Arboretum creek, you’re sure to enjoy a full array of Seattle nature. We really love that there is an amazing amount variety in this park! of You won’t want to miss out on strolling through these picturesque paths! We love that this is in the heart of Seattle, and a space for the community to enjoy some Northwest beauty!

Bloedel Reserve

This stunning, and immaculately maintained piece of land is just a ferry ride away from Seattle on beautiful Bainbridge island! This reserve is covered with pristine forests and gardens that will truely show you the best of autumn colors! One of the main attractions at the Bloedel Reserve is The Residence, which was the home of the creators of the Blodel Reserve, Prentice and Virginia Bloedel. The gorgeous 18th-century French style home transports you to another world with it’s beautifully preserved rooms and lawn. Spend a day wandering through these paths this autumn!

Discovery Park

Another Seattle essential, Discovery Park is the largest park in Seattle, and one of the best places to see some gorgeous fall colors!! One of the best parts of Discovery Park is that it is located right on Magnolia Bluff and has a stunning panoramic view of Puget Sound. We love that this spot is so close to Downtown Seattle, and the perfect escape from the city! Head over to Discovery Park and take time to really explore this unique Seattle Park this autumn!

Kubota Garden

Looking for vibrant oranges that will knock your socks off?! Kubota Garden is a 20 acre, Japanese-American garden is located near Rainier beach. You truly won’t want to miss out on these incredible Japanese Maple trees! If you’re looking for amazing fall themed photo ops, this garden is truly going to give you some gorgeous photos! This garden truly is unique, and we love exploring these beautifully taken care of paths!

Volunteer Park

We love this spot! If you haven’t been to Volunteer Park, located in Capitol Hill, Seattle, this spot will blow you away! Not only do you have a jaw-dropping view of Downtown Seattle, but there is also a botanical garden, an old water tower that you can climb, a museum, and gorgeous lawns and gardens throughout. We love that the streets in Volunteer Park are lined with big beautiful Maple trees that are really steal the show with their autumn colors! If you’re looking to see some beautiful shades of orange, red and yellow, but not drive too far, then this is the park for you!

Mt. Rainier National Park

Last but not least, you can’t go a Seattle autumn season without taking a day trip to the mountains! What is most amazing about Mt. Rainier is that you’ll get some amazing autumn colors and views that are much more vast and grand than you’ll get near the city! The fresh mountain air, the foggy hills full of orange and red hues, and the striking grandiosity of the mountain will absolutely blow you away (no pun intended)! Definitely take a day trip up to Mt. Rainier and take in the beautiful colors that are only available to us for a few months out of the year!

We really hope that you can you can enjoy these incredible places all over the greater Seattle area that are full of vibrant fall colors! This is such a beautiful area that we are so fortunate to live in! Don’t hesitate to contact our team today to find out more about the amazing things that Seattle has to offer!

Seattle is often stereotyped as bunch of tech hippies, sipping coffee in the rain, right? Actually, we’ll own that reputation - we’re pretty fine with it! But you probably didn’t know that Seattle loves their wine and beer just as much as they love coffee — it’s true! There’s a whole other elegant side to Seattle you may not know about.

One of our absolute favorite areas in the Greater Seattle area is Woodinville. This picturesque town, just 20 miles northeast of Seattle, is well known as the wine lovers heaven. Woodinville, Washington is home to 118 wineries, 14 microbreweries, and 30 restaurants & eateries. If that doesn’t sound like an incredible city to visit, or even live in, we don’t know what does!

Local Wines

The best part about enjoying a day in Woodinville wineries is that you’ll be enjoying local Washington wine. Washington actually has an amazing wine region, and is where many of the wineries from Eastern Washington have come and setup shop to show all us Seattleites what they have to offer. Washington State is divided by the Cascade Mountain Range. To the West is Seattle and to the East is Eastern Washington. Eastern Washington has a warm, arid climate with sandy, gravelly soils - really the ideal environment for grapes. And let me tell you, Washington has some absolutely amazing wines.

Over 100 Tasting Rooms

So you may be wondering how over 100 tasting rooms fit themselves into lil’ ole’ Woodinville? The area is actually split into split into 4 districts, or areas. Warehouse district is home to at least 1/3 of the tasting rooms including Mark Ryan’s Board Track Racer line of wines. There’s the downtown district, the West Valley district, and the Hollywood District. The Hollywood District got its name from the old Hollywood Farm and the Hollywood Schoolhouse still located in the heart of this area. The Hollywood District grew up around Washington’s first winery, Chateau Ste Michelle, and now features more than 40 wineries. There’s also a number of breweries, restaurants and a luxury hotel – Willows Lodge – that call the Hollywood District home.

Top Notch Neighborhoods and Schools

Another part of Woodinville that we absolutely adore are the neighborhoods. This city is the home to a multitude of quiet, spacious, community-driven neighborhoods, such as Aspenwood, and the Farm. Many of these neighborhoods include large lots with equestrian opportunities such as pastures, barns, and even riding arenas. These little communities really amazing. You can tell that the homeowners take pride in caring for their homes as you drive through and observe the manicured lots and friendly neighbors out for a stroll. Aside from the beautiful homes and estates, the schools in Woodinville are actually in one of the most highly rated district in the greater Seattle area. This city really is an incredible place to settle down with a family, retire and enjoy the wineries, or just spend the day exploring!

Our Favorite Wine Tasting Tips

Since there are SO many wineries in Woodinville, it can be hard to know what the best way to do an evening of tasting! Here are a few of our favorite tips to make your time in Woodinville easy and fun!

Spread your day out to enjoy the tastings. You get about 5 samples in one tasting, so usually I can do about 3 tastings if I spread them out a bit. If you came here every weekend and visited 3 tasting rooms, it would take you 40 weekends to try all the wineries!

Focus on one district at a time. By focusing on one district at a time, you will have the advantage of parking your car once and walking to a variety of tasting rooms! This will make your day simple and you’ll have more time to enjoy the wineries rather than look for parking and figuring out where to go next!

Don’t forget about the smaller wineries. Although there are some fabulous big name wineries here, there also some fun boutique wineries where you’re likely to have the winemaker themselves pour you a glass of his or her finest

Local Events in Woodinville

So obviously we love Woodinville, but the best way to experience all that this beautiful city has to offer is by attending the amazing local events. What we love so much about the local event network here is that because of the massive amount of wineries and restaurants, Woodinville has live music nights, kid friendly events, or date nights. There truly is an event for everyone! Below are a few of our favorites coming up!

We hope you have the chance to enjoy these amazing wineries and neighborhoods in Woodinville! Contact us today to find out more about how we can help you find your dream home in Woodinville, or just learn more about what this amazing city has to offer!

You all know how much we love the Southend of the greater Seattle area! This week we’re talking all about how much we love Kent! Much like Des Moines, Kent is in an amazing location situated right between Tacoma and Seattle. This makes Kent a convenient place to live regardless of which city you are commuting to. Kent is the 6th largest city in the state, so there’s a lot of fun things to do here. In fact, there are over 70 parks and recreation facilities.

Kent is one of our absolute favorite places in the greater Seattle area, and whether you live in Kent or you’re just visiting, we think it’s definitely worth exploring! We’re excited to be giving you 7 of our favorite things to do in Kent so that you can make the most of your time in this fun city! We hope you love you Kent just as much as we do!

Soos Creek Trail

Soos Creek Trail is a beautiful 6 mile trail that meanders through woods and meadows. This paved trail starts in Renton and continues south near Lake Meridian in Kent. You’ll cross over creekside and wetland areas and wander through forests and open meadows that have scenic and wildlife views. This trail is such a fun way to get outside and enjoy some nature whether you love to walk, hike, or bike!

Lake Meridian

Speaking of Nature, Lake Meridian is another fantastic place for the whole family to enjoy the outdoors! Lake Meridian is packed full fun activities like open fields, picnic shelters, beautiful docks to watch the sunset, lots of room for the kids, and a public swimming area. Looking for a fun fishing spot!? This lake, stocked with Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Largemouth Bass, Yellow Perchis, every fisherman’s dream! Our favorite part about Lake Meridian is definitely Thursday nights in the summer where you can enjoy the live music during the Kent Summer Concert series!

Ice Center

Another fun experience is the Ice Center, where you can take the whole family ice skating, year round on a NHL regulation ice rink. This is a unique experience that Kent is lucky to have! Don’t know how to skate? You can take group lessons to feel comfortable and learn some fun tricks! And if skating isn’t your thing, they have an a 18-hole mini golf course and five batting cages for baseball practice!

Hogan Park and Wilson Playfields

Speaking of Baseball, Kent is the home to the Hogan Park and Wilson Playfields. Hogan park is a great place for the family to enjoy not only the beautiful baseball and softball fields, but also tennis courts and a children’s playground! And with the Wilson Playfields’ sizable, turf-covered baseball & soccer fields, and plus picnic areas, you are sure to make memories with your families in Kent!

Kent Station

One of our favorite parts of Kent is Kent Station, and open air, urban village. This is where the community gathers to shop, dine, and relax. You’ll find a diverse array of retail and entertainment, including an AMC Cinema, plus an exciting mix of dining options appealing to a wide variety of tastes. Though we love the nature of Kent, WA, Kent Station is such a fun place to enjoy all of the fun that the city has to offer!

Downtown Kent’s Historic District

You can’t enjoy the city life of Kent without spending some time in Downton Kent’s Historical District! You’ll find small, quaint businesses that take really take pride in knowing their customers and offer that small-town service in a big city. It can be easy to miss this fun area of Kent if you’re just driving through, so definitely take some time to explore this amazing downtown district! We recommend that you explore this downtown district because it’s full of little shops that could easily be missed if you just drive through.

Reber Ranch

Another place that we are so grateful for here in Kent is Reber Ranch. Reber Ranch is a small family owned feed store that offers 14,000-sq ft of retail space full of pet supplies and much more. In addition, they offer a grooming salon, do-it-yourself dog wash, veterinary hospital, and outdoor dog park. They’ve been in business for over 30 years and we love having them in Kent!

Local Events in Kent

We love local events, and the amazing opportunities that Kent offers for locals and visitors to experience this great city! These autumn events are fantastic to enjoy this cozy season with family or fiends! If you you’re looking to enjoy this city and learn more about it, these local events are the perfect opportunity.

Oktoberfest 2018

September 22 @ 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Lake Meridian, 14800 SE 272nd St., Kent, WA

An authentic Oktoberfest celebration with German Bier, brats, entertainment, games & more...funding Kent Sunrise Rotary Clubs efforts to give back to community needs. Join in the fun with Manuela Horn and her German band.

Get in the fall spirit at Kent’s family-owned Carpinito Brothers. Pick pumpkins, wander the corn maze, take a hayride or join in a farm-fun activity.

HAWKtoberfest 2018

September 29 @ 11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Show your Seahawks pride at this Hawks themed car-show. How much blue and green can one car handle? Find out! The event is located at the corner of Railroad Avenue and Meeker Street. Admission is free to the public. Register your vehicle ahead of time for $20.

Head over to our Local Events page to check out weekly updates of events all around the greater Seattle area!

Our Favorite Kent Property

The best part about the real estate in Kent is that there is an incredible amount of variety. Check out this incredible property in Kentlake Highlands. We love this property, and we love helping our clients find their dream homes! Contact us today to find our more about Kent and how we can find the perfect home for you!